Originally posted on August 22, 2012, on Miss P’s Ponderings.
If you haven’t read my posts consistently, you won’t realize how much I appreciate the joy I find through my Savior. Yet, it seems that often in this life, things try to steal it. Sometimes, the things that try to steal our joy…or which we allow to steal our joy…are small things, not life-changing things.
Today, I’ve thought a lot about how easily we can let our joy slip away. To be honest, there have been a few patches of time when I allowed a storm cloud to attempt to takeover. However, the joy from within reminds me that “it’s all good”, and I need to consider it all joy.
This reminds me of my first student teacher. To be honest, I had my first student teacher probably before I should have. At the time, we were told you had to be a teacher with a masters to have a student teacher. I did not. Yet the principal told me she saw me as a “master teacher” and signed me up for the experience.
Now, to understand this little anecdote, you need to understand that the year of this student teacher was also one of my three toughest years as an educator. The behavior and personality challenges in that class were quite trying. One parent told me during conferences that he’d like to request a room change for his daughter, but the daughter wanted to stay with me…regardless of the behaviors that at times took over our classroom.
My student teacher came into the classroom befriending my students. Now, being friendly to students is important, but students have to see you as a teacher. This energetic lively teacher soon became overwhelmed. I remember one day after she had been teaching for several week, her smile faded. She looked at me as we walked back into the building after dismissal and uttered, “Miss Pflaumer, I just don’t know what to do.” With her downhearted expression and weary heart, I simply said, “Don’t ever let them steal your joy.”
Knowing she shared my faith, I went on and explained that as teachers we will have good days and bad days. We will have good years and bad years. We will have good experiences and bad ones. Yet, no matter the obstacle or the storm we ride through, we must maintain our joy…the joy we find in the Lord. Yes, we’ll have bad days, but my worth and my mindset cannot be mastered by my circumstances. My mindset and worth comes from the One who made me and who gave His life for me. We then discussed things to do to attempt to improve the situation. Yet, to be honest, some years are just hard.
Now, I will profess, this year is not one of those three hardest years. The mixture of students I have this year both in my homeroom and language class is a blessing. Yet, aren’t those challenging groups blessings too? Yes, but it’s harder to see the blessing when it’s in the midst of the storm.
Today, I learned that one of the kiddos in my language class will be moving sometime this semester, and it already made me a bit sad. Then, it was confirmed that the routine and rapport I’ve established with my one-hour teacher’s aide will be restarted with a new aide at some point. As a person who likes things to be “just so”, these things attempt to steal my joy. And for a bit, I admit, they did.
You know, I’m confident that all will be well. I generally can get along with most people, so I’m sure I’ll be fine with the new aide. It’s simply a change. I’m not a fan of change…unless it’s a change I’ve requested.
But, as I step back, I wonder….How is God going to use this to further mold me into His finished pot? I mean, the Potter has a reason for making me uncomfortable by allowing change to occur. I’m trusting that the irritation I feel right now will fade. I’m confident the complaining I’ve done today will be replaced by rejoicing. Yes, I will find my joy…not in my circumstance, but in the One who is control….even over my class enrollment and teacher’s aide assignment. After all….I should consider it all joy. Right?
What’s trying to steal your joy? Don’t let it. Take a deep breath. Say a prayer. Reclaim the peace that only He can give and treasure your joy…day by day.
Jodi Lea Pflaumer, Author 